Mr. Thomas Mann, member of the European Parliament, with Tibetans on the 56th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising day at the European Parliament in Brussels on 10 March 2015. (Photo courtesy: tibet.net)

(TibetanReview.net, Mar13, 2015) – The Tibet issue was raised during the human rights debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Mar 10 as Tibetans across the free world marked the 56th anniversary of their national uprising against Chinese occupation rule.

“The European Parliament is the voice of human rights! We demand freedom of expression, fundamental human rights and an end to the oppression of a peaceful culture,” said Mr Thomas Mann, a German member of the parliament, during the debate. “Our thoughts are with the 136 Tibetans who self-immolated and also those hundreds still detained.”

Mr Mann is the President of the recently established Tibet Interest Group (TID), a cross-party group of European Parliamentarians. He also said, “Our thoughts are with the 136 Tibetans who self-immolated and also those hundreds still detained.”

He vowed that the TID will continue to work towards the preservation of the Tibetan people’s language, culture and religious identity. “And we remain committed to put an end to the suffering of the Tibetan people”, he added.